Which statement best describes intermediate contour lines on a topographic map?

Which statement best describes intermediate contour lines on a topographic map?

• A. They have elevation numbers
• B. They have no numbers and appear between index contour lines
• C. They are dashed lines indicating approximate elevations
• D. They are solid lines with large elevation increments

Answer: (B)

Contour lines mark equal elevations, and the bold, numbered lines are index contours used for quick reference. The lines that fall between these labeled lines are intermediate contours. They exist to show elevation steps more finely, but they carry no numbers themselves; you read their value by using the contour interval and the nearby labeled line. They’re typically drawn as solid lines like the others, not dashed, and they sit between index contours to fill in the terrain detail.

Contour lines mark equal elevations, and the bold, numbered lines are index contours used for quick reference. The lines that fall between these labeled lines are intermediate contours. They exist to show elevation steps more finely, but they carry no numbers themselves; you read their value by using the contour interval and the nearby labeled line. They’re typically drawn as solid lines like the others, not dashed, and they sit between index contours to fill in the terrain detail.